A great trail across the Lake District. Swapping the more normal fastpacking kit for plenty of warm clothes and a tent as we followed the Cumbria Way signs.
Each day as we headed north we got to experience the changes to the landscapes across the Lake District through fields and on into the fells and past lakes. It was everything you would expect from the Lake District. Discovering a few new places along the way, including the lovely Tarn Hows.
With the exception of the Northern Fells, we found plenty of places to stay and eat inside on the way. For the section from Keswick through the Northern Fells it was a little harder. With Skidall House Hostel being closed and limited options in Caldbeck we decided to wild camp for that evening. Mixing up a nights inside with nights wild camping. To not end up with too much weight to carry we packing a lightweight tent and sleeping bags for a couple of nights of camping. Decided against taking a stove to save weight and to rely on eat in cafes and restaurants on the way. We researched what would be available with some help from Google Maps and for the sections with less facilities we took plenty of snacks.
The upside of doing this walk in the winter at the end of 2020 was we had the trail mainly to ourselves avoiding what I expect in places can be a very busy trail.
The downsides of doing the walk at this time of year was the days were very short and the colder, wetter weather requiring us to have heavier rucksacks with more warm clothing.
As lovely as it was staying inside, it did make early starts tricky as we were limited by when they served breakfast. Often setting off later than we would have liked and finishing the walking in the dark.
In the end we only camped for one night. As on the night we planned to camp high up in the Langdale valley, with the rain was pouring down and the allure of staying at the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel was too much.
This is a really great trail although the remote section through the Northern Fells might not be everyones cup of tea, and the section through the Eden Valley on the last day, as beautiful as it was, did not quite match the varied scenery of the Lake District.